C/D Tests Lincoln MKC: "A Competent Pod"

[El Kabong]

"There’s a lot of mixing and matching of powertrains and platforms between mainstream and premium divisions these days as market segments get sliced ever thinner. But the skill with which different carmakers blend the componentry varies. Which begs the question: Is the new MKC 'premium' enough to be a Lincoln? That, of course, depends upon one’s expectations."

...and the conclusion, after doing a thorough review at this link:

http://m.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-lincoln-mkc-20t-fwd-test-review

"It does present an opportunity for Lincoln to avoid losing some of its current buyers to other premium brands." Which is an odd goal for a segment-busting product-don't you normally hope for conquest sales rather than trying to retain customers fleeing your other products? So strange.

[FAPTurbo]

Lincoln's like a daily newspaper - dependably disposable and old news by the time it's off the production line. 

[El Kabong]

See, if I wrote that then a certain someone would have soiled their diaper in a frothy-mouthed rage. But you did so it passes muster.

Still 100% true tho

Edited June 20, 2015 by El Kabong

[ocnblu]

Thank you for calling it an "MXC" in your title. 

[El Kabong]

Ya, just noticed that. Ah well-they all use the same letters. So easy to mix up

[balthazar]

Is EVERY SINGLE PRODUCTION AUTO going to feature the same conceptual 4-spoke steering wheel ? Has this been federally mandated and I missed the update??

[cp-the-nerd]

I like the MKC, but with the 2.3T. In the same way I like the MKZ but only with the V6. The 7+ second 0-60 sprint and mid-15 quarter mile times just leave so much to be desired in the $35-40k price point. I thing they're both very strong in design terms in the luxury class. Much better than Acura. And the push button transmission is infinitely better in Lincolns than Hondas and Acuras.

[Intrepidation]

Is it really so hard to make a high quality interior for the price point. I mean Ford did it withe the Focus.

[El Kabong]

The most damning part of the article for me was the discussion about the suspension: "What saves the MKC is... its Escape DNA. Lincoln’s new compact SUV puts a fork in the brand’s previous legacy of offering filigreed Fords with soft suspensions. Where previous Lincolns floated, the MKC’s dynamics are buttoned down."

When your "luxury" brand's suspension tuning is so out to lunch that your base brand is the preferred starting point?... you know things are bad.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

Is it really so hard to make a high quality interior for the price point. I mean Ford did it withe the Focus.

That interior below is no Escape or Focus.

 

And meh on the article.  They picked apart not having enough power and an interior like a Lexus or Audi, yet reviewed a FWD 2.0L, not the much more powerful 2.3L with AWD and certainly not the Black Label trim, which is much more luxurious than the picture below.

 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2015 by Wings4Life

[El Kabong]

They were quite clear in the article about the options driving the price unacceptably high. Can't imagine that package would make the matter any better, to say the least.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

^

And I can't imagine you would admit to the obvious.

 

Clearly, their complaints were focused on interior luxury levels and adequate power differentiation from the Escape.

The much more powerful engine option.....combined with AWD.......combined with a premium trim option that focuses on interior materials and luxury appointments would clearly address their 'Con' list.

 

And yeah, a technology package combine with a massive sunroof, jacks the price on ALL vehicles.  Assuming they offer them.

 

Regardless, Lincoln recognized the trend for CUV, and the MKX (shown below) is hitting dealers in a few weeks and is the 2nd of 3 major luxury CUV's that will feed that trend.  The Aviator will launch shortly after the all new aluminum Navigator, replacing the style challenged MKT.  So in total, I think Lincoln will supporting the needs of it's customers, while the competition still tries to figure it all out.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

The most damning part of the article for me was the discussion about the suspension: "What saves the MKC is... its Escape DNA. Lincoln’s new compact SUV puts a fork in the brand’s previous legacy of offering filigreed Fords with soft suspensions. Where previous Lincolns floated, the MKC’s dynamics are buttoned down."

When your "luxury" brand's suspension tuning is so out to lunch that your base brand is the preferred starting point?... you know things are bad.

 

Actually, it's because the Escape is so good, especially at its price point, that it makes an excellent starting point for the lux model.   So, why not start with a tune that already punches above its weight and gets nearly universal great reviews?  I don't have a problem with it. 

[Drew Dowdell]

 

Is it really so hard to make a high quality interior for the price point. I mean Ford did it withe the Focus.

That interior below is no Escape or Focus.

 

And meh on the article.  They picked apart not having enough power and an interior like a Lexus or Audi, yet reviewed a FWD 2.0L, not the much more powerful 2.3L with AWD and certainly not the Black Label trim, which is much more luxurious than the picture below.

 

 

 

 

 

I think that the MKC is priced a little high for the segment it wants to compete in, but I wouldn't rate the interior as bad.   The thing that completely kills the MKC for me is the Sync system.... I find it so terrible to use that I won't even rent Fords with it anymore.   It's unfortunate, because my partner and I are the target customer for the MKC as we currently have an Encore and want to move up in size just a little with the next vehicle. 

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

^

 

Sync III is launching as we speak.

I hear that is very much improved. We shall see.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

^

 

Sync III is launching as we speak.

I hear that is very much improved. We shall see.

 

 

So here's an issue I have.... Why wouldn't it be launching on a Lincoln?  Lincoln, being the premium brand in the portfolio, should get it first.... not the bottom car in the "people's brand".

I fixed the topic title. 

[El Kabong]

So your beef with the infotainment is the same as mine with the suspension tuning: Ford Motor Company is a Ford-centric organization. And if you want to go down that path then there will be consequences. In this case it's seeing all your other brands fall by the wayside over the years, including your luxury one, because you cannot/do not do right by their brand mission.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

^

 

Sync III is launching as we speak.

I hear that is very much improved. We shall see.

 

 

So here's an issue I have.... Why wouldn't it be launching on a Lincoln?  Lincoln, being the premium brand in the portfolio, should get it first.... not the bottom car in the "people's brand".

I fixed the topic title. 

 

Not really sure there.  Perhaps it has something to do with rolling out to the masses that complained the most.  And honestly, they are co-developed anyway, so the launch is effectively same time frame, relative to next product launching that has been aligned with it.  It's not exactly new tech that will draw customers.  It is just an upgrade.  A well deserved one that is.

[Robert Hall]

Is EVERY SINGLE PRODUCTION AUTO going to feature the same conceptual 4-spoke steering wheel ? Has this been federally mandated and I missed the update??

A standardized design under the trim makes it simpler for a few suppliers to provide them.

[Drew Dowdell]

So your beef with the infotainment is the same as mine with the suspension tuning: Ford Motor Company is a Ford-centric organization. And if you want to go down that path then there will be consequences. In this case it's seeing all your other brands fall by the wayside over the years, including your luxury one, because you cannot/do not do right by their brand mission.

 

Similar, but not the same.  I have no problem with Lincoln borrowing from an excellent (probably class leading in this particular attribute) Ford product.   I'd have no problem with Lincoln taking the Mustang architecture and stretching it into a Mark IX coupe as long as it got it's own look, because as a chassis, the Mustang is a great product. 

 

The current Sync system is terribly out of date compared with other systems. Sync is a negative attribute instead of a positive one like the Escape suspension tuning.  As such, it should either be a simultaneous, corporate-wide rollout of the new version, or it should go to Lincoln first and then filter to the rest. 

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

So your beef with the infotainment is the same as mine with the suspension tuning: Ford Motor Company is a Ford-centric organization. And if you want to go down that path then there will be consequences. In this case it's seeing all your other brands fall by the wayside over the years, including your luxury one, because you cannot/do not do right by their brand mission.

 

Similar, but not the same.  I have no problem with Lincoln borrowing from an excellent (probably class leading in this particular attribute) Ford product.   I'd have no problem with Lincoln taking the Mustang architecture and stretching it into a Mark IX coupe as long as it got it's own look, because as a chassis, the Mustang is a great product. 

 

The current Sync system is terribly out of date compared with other systems. Sync is a negative attribute instead of a positive one like the Escape suspension tuning.  As such, it should either be a simultaneous, corporate-wide rollout of the new version, or it should go to Lincoln first and then filter to the rest. 

 

This is an interesting dilemma.

 

1. Should Ford hold off roll out of sync3, which appears to have been worked on exclusively of any specific vehicle launches, to instead wait for any new Lincoln launch that aligns with syn3 development...which in this case would be either the Conti or all new Navi....

2. .....or does Ford launch it first with their volume cash cow brand which will obviously generate far more benefit to the entire corporation?

 

It seems the almighty $$$ won on this one.  Holding off until Lincoln could launch what is essentially a co-developed upgrade, seems to have had not enough weighted advantage overall.

 

I guess I agree then.  The masses win.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Wings4Life

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

So your beef with the infotainment is the same as mine with the suspension tuning: Ford Motor Company is a Ford-centric organization. And if you want to go down that path then there will be consequences. In this case it's seeing all your other brands fall by the wayside over the years, including your luxury one, because you cannot/do not do right by their brand mission.

 

Similar, but not the same.  I have no problem with Lincoln borrowing from an excellent (probably class leading in this particular attribute) Ford product.   I'd have no problem with Lincoln taking the Mustang architecture and stretching it into a Mark IX coupe as long as it got it's own look, because as a chassis, the Mustang is a great product. 

 

The current Sync system is terribly out of date compared with other systems. Sync is a negative attribute instead of a positive one like the Escape suspension tuning.  As such, it should either be a simultaneous, corporate-wide rollout of the new version, or it should go to Lincoln first and then filter to the rest. 

 

This is an interesting dilemma.

 

1. Should Ford hold off roll out of sync3, which appears to have been worked on exclusively of any specific vehicle launches, to instead wait for any new Lincoln launch that aligns with syn3 development...which in this case would be either the Conti or all new Navi....

2. .....or does Ford launch it first with their volume cash cow brand which will obviously generate far more benefit to the entire corporation?

 

It seems the almighty $$$ won on this one.  Holding off until Lincoln could launch what is essentially a co-developed upgrade, seems to have had not enough weighted advantage overall.

 

I guess I agree then.  The masses win.

 

 

This is a habit that Ford (and others) need to get out of.  There is no need to wait for the next total refresh to launch an infotainment product any longer.  Cadillac has started doing Tesla style rolling upgrades to their products... when the base component has been upgraded, all of the relevant vehicles get that upgrade.  For example, the 3.6 V6 and 8-Speed auto that Cadillac just released in conjunction with the CT6;  both the ATS and CTS are getting that upgrade for 2016 as well.  The Cadillac Cue system is getting an upgrade and that will go into all of the cars too (with the possible exception of the SRX for now since that is at the very very end of its model run).

 

Simply put, if the new Sync is ready to go, it should be in all 2016 Lincolns. Period.

[regfootball]

Drew's pretty spot on on this thread.

I tested an escape recently. Can't believe I hadnt. It's pretty good. Now I do say an MKc is missing a nice interior.like the mks it still has cheap ford plastic and bits. But using the escape as basis for an MKc here is alright. Crossover buyers don't need alpha platforms. Lincoln needs to upgrade the interior and justify its price more. But sales don't lie. Where are the new Cadillac crossovers ??????

[Drew Dowdell]

Drew's pretty spot on on this thread.

I tested an escape recently. Can't believe I hadnt. It's pretty good. Now I do say an MKc is missing a nice interior.like the mks it still has cheap ford plastic and bits. But using the escape as basis for an MKc here is alright. Crossover buyers don't need alpha platforms. Lincoln needs to upgrade the interior and justify its price more. But sales don't lie. Where are the new Cadillac crossovers ??????

 

The MKC has the nice interior... you just need to pay more to get the higher trims.  I just think Lincoln is asking too much money for the lower trims.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

 

 

So your beef with the infotainment is the same as mine with the suspension tuning: Ford Motor Company is a Ford-centric organization. And if you want to go down that path then there will be consequences. In this case it's seeing all your other brands fall by the wayside over the years, including your luxury one, because you cannot/do not do right by their brand mission.

 

Similar, but not the same.  I have no problem with Lincoln borrowing from an excellent (probably class leading in this particular attribute) Ford product.   I'd have no problem with Lincoln taking the Mustang architecture and stretching it into a Mark IX coupe as long as it got it's own look, because as a chassis, the Mustang is a great product. 

 

The current Sync system is terribly out of date compared with other systems. Sync is a negative attribute instead of a positive one like the Escape suspension tuning.  As such, it should either be a simultaneous, corporate-wide rollout of the new version, or it should go to Lincoln first and then filter to the rest. 

 

This is an interesting dilemma.

 

1. Should Ford hold off roll out of sync3, which appears to have been worked on exclusively of any specific vehicle launches, to instead wait for any new Lincoln launch that aligns with syn3 development...which in this case would be either the Conti or all new Navi....

2. .....or does Ford launch it first with their volume cash cow brand which will obviously generate far more benefit to the entire corporation?

 

It seems the almighty $$$ won on this one.  Holding off until Lincoln could launch what is essentially a co-developed upgrade, seems to have had not enough weighted advantage overall.

 

I guess I agree then.  The masses win.

 

 

This is a habit that Ford (and others) need to get out of.  There is no need to wait for the next total refresh to launch an infotainment product any longer.  Cadillac has started doing Tesla style rolling upgrades to their products... when the base component has been upgraded, all of the relevant vehicles get that upgrade.  For example, the 3.6 V6 and 8-Speed auto that Cadillac just released in conjunction with the CT6;  both the ATS and CTS are getting that upgrade for 2016 as well.  The Cadillac Cue system is getting an upgrade and that will go into all of the cars too (with the possible exception of the SRX for now since that is at the very very end of its model run).

 

Simply put, if the new Sync is ready to go, it should be in all 2016 Lincolns. Period.

 

I am a powertrain guy, completely isolated from the infotainment field, but I would guess that Sync3 involves far more than just a firmware or software update.  In the past, any software upgrades were rolled out simultaneously.  So IOW, there must be a reason to their madness.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

Has anyone here spent any amount of time in a Black Label Lincoln?  I have thus far seen Z, C and even new X.  It is a very worthy upgrade, that transforms the products with much higher levels of materials and quality feel.  Not quite to any equivalent Audi level, which costs typically much more anyway, but at least to an equivalent Lexus. 

 

Just saying

[Drew Dowdell]

Has anyone here spent any amount of time in a Black Label Lincoln?  I have thus far seen Z, C and even new X.  It is a very worthy upgrade, that transforms the products with much higher levels of materials and quality feel.  Not quite to any equivalent Audi level, which costs typically much more anyway, but at least to an equivalent Lexus. 

 

Just saying

 

I've had one for about 40 minutes at an event.

[Guest Wings4Life(BANNED)]

 

Has anyone here spent any amount of time in a Black Label Lincoln?  I have thus far seen Z, C and even new X.  It is a very worthy upgrade, that transforms the products with much higher levels of materials and quality feel.  Not quite to any equivalent Audi level, which costs typically much more anyway, but at least to an equivalent Lexus. 

 

Just saying

 

I've had one for about 40 minutes at an event.

 

Cool, Probably the Z, huh?

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

Has anyone here spent any amount of time in a Black Label Lincoln?  I have thus far seen Z, C and even new X.  It is a very worthy upgrade, that transforms the products with much higher levels of materials and quality feel.  Not quite to any equivalent Audi level, which costs typically much more anyway, but at least to an equivalent Lexus. 

 

Just saying

 

I've had one for about 40 minutes at an event.

 

Cool, Probably the Z, huh?

 

MKC

[ocnblu]

So the RX, SRX and MKC are their respective brands' best sellers.  Not to mention the Cayenne.  The message is loud and clear.